5 Supplements To Take Every Day

The body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to support immunity function, promote normal growth, and keep cells and organs performing at their optimum levels. Chief among the nutrients the body needs are vitamin C, unrefined salt, iodine, magnesium, and vitamin B12, says Newsmax Health contributor Dr. David Brownstein.

These substances are particularly important because of the vital functions they have within the body. Consider:

Vitamin C — This nutrient may protect against heart disease and eye disease, boost immunity, and work to keep our skin supple. However, the body lacks an enzyme to manufacture it naturally, so a supplement is usually necessary to reach the 2,000 to 5,000 mg per day that Dr. Brownstein recommends.

Unrefined Salt — Unrefined salt is the healthiest type of salt to consume because it contains more than 80 minerals. Refined (regular) table salt has all its minerals removed and takes on toxic heavy metals during processing, including aluminum. Dr. Brownstein recommends that adults consume one-half to one teaspoon of unrefined salt a day.

Iodine — Iodine is not only necessary for the production of the thyroid hormone, it is responsible for the production of all other hormones. Adequate iodine levels are necessary for proper immune system function, and iodine contains potent antibacterial, antiparasitic, antiviral, and anticancer properties. Dr. Brownstein, author of the "Natural Way to Health" newsletter, recommends getting your iodine levels tested before supplementing.

Magnesium — This essential element may help prevent diabetes, has been shown to reduce inflammation and pain, and is important for heart health. Many Americans likely are magnesium deficient; carbonated sodas and certain medications including diuretics can deplete our bodies of it.

Vitamin B12 — B vitamins including B12 are important for heart and brain function. What’s more, inadequate levels of vitamin B12 can cause or exacerbate neurological problems such as dizziness and inner ear difficulties. For such problems, Dr. Brownstein recommends injecting 1 mg of natural vitamin B12 per day for 30 days, then reducing the dose to 1 mg twice per week.

Ideally, we would get all the nutrients we need from our diet, but that’s not always the case, so supplements may be necessary, Dr. Brownstein says.

The best way to get what we need “is to eat a whole-foods diet, free of refined foods,” he says. “However, our food supply is very deficient in these items, and you may need to supplement.”

Organically grown foods provide a higher content of nutrients than refined foods, he says, so it’s best to eat foods that are raised free of pesticides.

To be sure you are getting the levels of nutrients you need, Dr. Brownstein recommends working with a knowledgeable healthcare practitioner who can offer guidance and testing. It’s also important to buy your supplements from reputable companies.

“I’ve been checking the nutrient levels in supplements for over 20 years, and I’ve found many of these products don’t contain what the label says the contain,” he says.